Ichabod explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, with an emphasis on UOJ, Church Growth, and Emergent Church heresies. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the mainline denominations.

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Jim Heiser hides behind his attack Yorkies, who yip about anything currently offending His Beatitude. He explained his opposition to the The Faith of Jesus being given away with a series of boneheaded personal accusations against me:

Crazy,

Liar,

Violator of copyright laws, and

Worst of all - a mild post from 8 years ago.

The Rev. Yorkie Oncken was handed the task of telling the donor to "make these books go away," interrupting a meal to have the desolating sacrilege removed. Yes, it was very personal for Heiser, but the Yorkies were doing all the barking. So the donor of the books asked Heiser directly what the problem was and got the response outlined above. "A little pot is soon hot." Shakespeare (Oxford)

I got these two messages from Rydecki and Stefanski -

Rydecki's message:Let's at least call it what it is. It's not about "not liking" a post. It's about not liking it when the reputation of the diocese was harmed by you.

Stefanski's public demand:BTW, regarding your other Ichabod post today: I do think that you should take down the ridiculous accusations against both the ELDoNA and Augustana Ministerium as gateways to Eastern 'Orthodoxy', as well as the one about Heimbigner's doctorate being from Baylor…but I never have objected to your labeling of me and what I learned to teach from the Ft. Wayne sem regarding UOJ, as what I taught was, indeed, wrong. I probably would have figured it out sooner, though, had nuclear strike been your last line of response instead of your first.That said, this current post against the diocese is misguided and should be withdrawn. Again, I see no need for me to speak further, as you will either honor this request or not; your post was, simply, wrongheaded in every way.

The Word itself defends the truthand smashes false doctrine.

Heiser, Rydecki, and Stefanski have this in common - they graduated from seminary believing in UOJ - absolution of the entire world, without faith. Granted, the seminary faculties are filled with political appointees who teach anything but Lutheran doctrine, but did anyone read Luther's sermons, Luther's Large Catechism, the Augsburg Confession?

I thought it was good that ELDONA saw through the errors of UOJ and began defending Justification by Faith. However, their websty leads with The Bride of Christ, the Church, as if that were the Chief Article of the Christian Faith. That also means they have no grasp of satis est, as taught in the Augsburg Confession.

Satis est - "It is enough to agree on Justification by Faith and the Sacraments,but everyone has to agree with Bishop Heiser's obsessions, they claim.

The ELDONites contend that the only true Church (theirs) is the one that practices all ceremonies their way and all priests dress in their finest frocks. Yes, they make Roman-Eastern Orthodox robes a matter of confession. That also violates the Adiaphora article in the Formula of Concord, which they must have read as little as #3 when they were in seminary.

Heiser and Stefanski learned this buffoonery at Ft. Wayne,but worse, the style of declaring everything ex cathedra as infallible,because a "priest" said it, in true Scaer style.

The Chief Article is not The Bride of Christ with its papal posturing.

Does anyone read the Formula of Concord anymore?Jay Webber taught the opposite at Emmaus,and LCMS-WELS-ELS-ELCA agrees with him - and UOJ.

Contrary to the sanctimonious claims of ELDONA, they spent an inordinate amount of time discussing my congregation, my blog, etc. They are just like this ELS description of WELS that a pastor's wife offered: "They think they can spot false doctrine 50 miles away but not when it's under their own noses."

I never expressed the least interest in joining their sect. As I wrote before, I offered help wherever I could. Until recently I suggested that people consider ELDONA. I have also suggested LCMS congregations if that parish is Lutheran (an iffy proposition everywhere). Little Ichabod attends an independent congregation, which are more abundant than people imagine. The dictatorial synods have robbed a lot of people and burned a lot of bridges.

My little job is to promote Luther's sermons and the theology of the Lutheran Reformation. Many years ago a little pamphlet by a little known pastor challenged me to always present doctrine from the Scriptures rather than in the form of theses (Walther style).

Efficacy of the Word

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About the Author

Gregory L. Jackson is an independent Lutheran pastor, with degrees from Augustana College, Illinois; Waterloo Seminary, Ontario; Yale University; Notre Dame; and the University of Phoenix. He has been married to Christina for 40 years. Their beloved daughters Bethany and Erin Joy are with Christ. Their son Martin is married to Tammy, blessing them with three delightful grandchildren.